In the field of semiconductor device fabrication, in order to protect copper surfaces from corrosion between a Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) stage and subsequent processing steps, it is desirable to provide a passivating layer during the fabrication of semiconductor devices on a semiconductor wafer. In this respect, the passivating layer can be applied as a last step of the CMP stage and/or prior to subjecting the wafer to a post-CMP clean step. However, either a polishing platen or a so-called “brush station” is typically employed in these steps, the mechanical action of the polishing platen and/or brushes of the brush station erodes the newly-formed passivating layer of the wafer. The integrity of the passivating layer is therefore compromised, which can results in reduced corrosion protection and carbon containing defects on the surface of the wafer.
Consequently, WO2004/102620 discloses a method of disposing a passivating layer after the clean stage using a so-called “Spin Rinse Dry” (SRD) station. However, advanced dielectrics and passivated copper surfaces formed as part of a semiconductor wafer are sometimes hydrophobic in nature leading to the formation of watermarks on the wafer during drying of the wafer after the clean step. Consequently, the watermarks that form on wafers during drying of the wafers serve to impede the formation of a good quality passivating layer on the wafer thereafter.